4 Fabulous Fall Protea Prints For Your Kitchen

4 Fabulous Fall Protea Prints
For Your Kitchen. Our free art designs
you can print for autumn décor or shelf-sitters.

In our house, fresh flower bouquets usually begin and end in the kitchen. Even if we create a dining table centerpiece, when the guests are gone, they come into the kitchen where I can enjoy them while going about my day. And so that I remember to care for them properly.

My latest eye-candy flowers are proteas.

I don’t know very much about them; they’re South African flowers and mostly grow domestically by now. Except for mainly one region on the Cape, they don’t grow in the wild.

I’ve raved about hydrangeas, and they remain a favorite.

But the huge, almost succulent looking flower of the protea bush is sort of surreal, and on my radar right now. The blossoms can range from 5″ to 10″ and definitely earn their name of King Protea. They remind me of water lilies gone rogue. Their petals have the same luminous, almost resin-look of water lilies, but when completely open, they surround a bulbous center very different than the delicate lily’s.

According to growing details, protea bushes should grow outdoors in our desert climate, as long as they have good drainage. That isn’t typical with desert soil, but with enough additives, completely possible. And they love sun, so we’re good there. But they’re not instant gratification. It takes two years before blossoms set on. After that, anchors away. They can bloom prolifically. As long as you only trim spent stems, and leave next year’s potential blossom-stems intact.

Protea as cut flowers

is likely the way most of us will see these large blossoms.

Lately they’ve become popular in ethereal bouquets, mixed with eucalyptus and limonium. For a beach or tropical-inspired arrangement, team with flowers like orchids, Bird of Paradise, palm leaves and other brightly colored blooms. If you want boho or shabby chic style, you can pair the proteas with pampas grass, feathers, dried greenery, and moody roses.

If you’re fortunate enough to receive a bouquet of proteas, you can prolong their beauty by keeping them freshly watered daily. They are heavy drinkers, and can empty a vase in a day.

Perhaps you’ll treat yourself to these gorgeous blooms. Before you tuck them into the vase, cut off at least 1/2″ of each stem. Pull off any leaves that will be submerged, and removing a few leaves right around the flower, like with hydrangeas, will enhance the size and beauty of the flower.

Proteas dry beautifully. Hang them like you do other flowers, after you pull all the greenery from the stems. I love this dried arrangement from Anthropologie:

Note this about Protea:

It is poisonous. Every part it: flowers, leaves, nectar, are all toxic.

That’s hard to believe, as they are so beautiful.

But keep it in mind, and keep it away from humans and pets.

To finish on a higher note:

Here’s some fall printables using the protea flower. These are not toxic.

Use for a fridge quote if you like. Or print small to make shelf sitters. (I keep using the same blocks of wood, just adding the new print on top of the old, as the seasons change.)

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